Single Skin Tent Life

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 alexm198 18 Apr 2017
Evening UKC,

Can anyone offer up some tips for maintaining some semblance of comfort in a single skin tent (BD Firstlight)? Every time I use it for its intended purpose (i.e. alpine bivvying) I find the condensation is a real problem, and it ends up soaking pretty much everything. This is usually fine for one night, since wet tent and sleeping bag can just get chucked in bag and dealt with when off the mountain, but obviously not ideal for multi-day suffering.

Also, forgive me if this sounds dumb, but what's the best way to make sure the tent does blow away either when you're putting it up or when it's up (e.g. clipping it to the anchor?)

All advice gratefully received!
 Sealwife 18 Apr 2017
In reply to alexm198: Had a Vaude Scorpion years back with similar problems. Found I had to vent it really well to keep airflow going through.
In damp weather there was always a condensation problem.

 Dave the Rave 18 Apr 2017
In reply to alexm198
Also, forgive me if this sounds dumb, but what's the best way to make sure the tent does blow away either when you're putting it up or when it's up (e.g. clipping it to the anchor?)All advice gratefully received!

Take it out of your rucsac, remove the compression sack, spread it to the wind and let go?

 Damo 19 Apr 2017
In reply to alexm198:

> ...(BD Firstlight)? Every time I use it for its intended purpose (i.e. alpine bivvying) I find the condensation is a real problem, and it ends up soaking pretty much everything.

I've used a BD FL and various Biblers over the years and had condensation problems in ALL of them, including in the high, cold and dry location for which they are meant to be best. I've vented them well but it makes little difference and prolonged use in very cold conditions causes an unacceptable buildup.

I simply don't use them on most trips now, just the Firstlight when low weight is a priority. Double wall tents are much better on cold expeditions, though obviously not much good for Alpine bivis. Huts are better for that...
 vscott 19 Apr 2017
In reply to alexm198:

Condensation always an issue in single-skin tents - firstlight suffers less than fully proofed versions. To help manage found the following helpful: use a light water resistant bivy bag (e.g. PHD or Rab one) to help keep sleeping bag dry, try to avoid cooking/melting snow inside, unless weather horrid don't fully close doors to allow some airflow, keep clothing etc. in rucksac or inside bivy bag to keep condensation off as much as posisble, and take a mini microfibre travel towl to mop droplets off floor/walls.

For pitching, clip a corner to anchor or rucksac straight away to anchor using long sling so have room for manoeuvre while pitching. big stuffscas filled with snow and buried (larks-foot sling round) work well as anchors on snow and lighten than snowstakes.

Hope helps
OP alexm198 19 Apr 2017
In reply to Dave the Rave:

Ah thanks Dave, really got me out of a pickle here. I knew there'd be a simple solution!
 TheFasting 19 Apr 2017
In reply to alexm198:

The BD Firstlight isn't waterproof I think. The Direkt2 is though.
OP alexm198 19 Apr 2017
In reply to Damo:

Cheers Damo. Good to know I'm not just doing something wrong. If anything I find the condensation more frustrating in the high, cold environments for which single wall tents are intended as the condensation just freezes and falls onto you in the night rather than running down the walls.

Then again, philosophically speaking, can it even be considered an alpine bivi if you don't wake up every half hour cold and wet and wanting it all to be over?
 wbo 19 Apr 2017
In reply to alexm198: Maybe the direkt 2 is a bit better ventilated as while it's a bit clammy in mine I'm rarely so damp. I do avoid cooking in it though.

OP alexm198 19 Apr 2017
In reply to vscott:

Cheers Viv, handy tips about pitching.

Reluctant to take a bivy bag as well as the tent, seems quite a heavyweight option. As does packing a towel. But then again I suppose on a route with more than one night out you're going to be going relatively heavy at any rate.

Have always kept the doors open slightly but it doesn't seem to make much difference to the wetness...

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